


Super Duper Love

by merle_p



Series: Holiday verse [2]
Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Holiday, Kid Fic, M/M, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-03-01
Updated: 2009-03-01
Packaged: 2017-10-06 23:15:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/58800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merle_p/pseuds/merle_p
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Valentine's Day, four o'clock in the afternoon, and Jensen has just had about enough.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Super Duper Love

**Author's Note:**

> Written March 2009.   
> Jared and Jensen only belong to themselves, the same goes for any other real persons mentioned in this fic. Kim and Carla are mine, though. The title quotes the song _Super Duper Love_ by Joss Stone.

It's Valentine's Day, four o'clock in the afternoon, and Jensen has just had about enough.

Since the bookstore opened its doors at nine this morning, he's been ringing up anthologies of love poetry and victorian lesbian erotica, wrapping them in pink paper with little hearts and angels, and if he ever thought there was a chance that the members of the "community" would maybe not go along with this capitalistic and heteronormative tradition, today would have proved him wrong.

Jensen has never liked Valentine's Day very much; not when he was single, and not when he was with Jeff. Of course, the first few years, it was kind of nice; letting Jeff take him out to fancy restaurants, buy him flowers and chocolate cake; feeling loved and cherished. Towards the end, though, it had become a farce more than anything else, and Jensen remembers making stilted conversation over avocado soup and hummer, secretly hoping that the kids wouldn't give the baby sitter too much trouble while they were gone.

To be honest: this year – the first without Jeff, the first with Jared –, it's not that bad. They haven't made any plans – neither of them has the money to buy each other expensive gifts or fancy dinners, and also, Jared has to work; which means that at the time he's finished, he will have gotten exposed to more heart shaped objects and declarations of undying love than anyone in their right mind could stomach without getting sick.

At least, he didn't have to dress up as Cupid; Jensen actually was afraid that he'd have to explain to the kids why Jared left the house half-naked and with a crossbow over his shoulder, and he wasn't exactly happy about the prospect of strangers ogling his new boyfriend's bare legs either – they are awesome legs, long and tanned and muscled, but Jensen prefers to be the only who gets to see them.

Instead, Jared is wearing a tuxedo – of course, his legs look great in the suit pants too, but at least they are covered – and black Chucks on his feet. Actually, Jared's working wardrobe basically consists of five different suits and ten pairs of Converses – red and green for Christmas, orange for Halloween and Thanksgiving, red-white-blue for the 4th of July, and colorful flowers for Easter. The flowery ones are actually a women's model, and Jensen still hasn't figured out where Jared got those in the correct size, because he doesn't think there's even one single woman in the world who's got feet as big as Jared.

Jared, who apparently has changed the ringtone on Jensen's cell phone again, because Jensen's memory usually works quite well, and he really doesn't remember downloading Joss Stone on his phone. To the sound of _Super Duper Love_, he scrambles for his cell, smiling when he checks the display: He cannot possibly be mad when he just got a text message that reads: _When do u get off, love?_

_30 min._, he texts back. He knows that Eric will probably want him to stay longer, but Jensen will be damned if he's working overtime when his boyfriend might be willing and ready to spend time with him.

_Cool_, Jared answers. _Meet you in 40? Blenz around the corner?_

Jensen types _YES!_, pockets his cell phone, and rings up a copy of Richard Stevenson's classic _On the other hand, death_. At least _some_ people haven't lost their mind yet.

***

The Blenz at the corner Davie and Burrard has been one of Jensen's favorites long before he met Jared; and it has become his first place to go since he found out that the blond, lanky barista with the full lips and the hooded eyes is actually Jared's roommate and best friend Chad, who, when his boss isn't around, always gives them mediums when they ask for regulars, or two drinks for the price of one.

When he gets there, the coffee shop is almost empty, except for two young girls doing their homework and a gay couple making out in a corner. Jared is leaning against the counter, quietly talking to Chad, who's just finishing up their drinks: the usual maple latte for Jared in the silver and purple travel mug he always carries around to protect the environment, and Jensen's matcha latte in the regular paper cup.

Jared is still in his tux, and Jensen takes a moment to stare. Jensen fell for him when he was dressed up as _Santa Claus_, so there's no question that Jared is hot – but in a suit, he looks good enough to eat, and Jensen still can't quite believe that he managed to snag this one for himself.

When Jared sees him coming, he grabs a marker from behind the counter and hastily writes something on Jensen's cup, face scrunched up in concentration, tongue peeking out between his lips. He looks like Carla when she works on her coloring books.

"Happy Valentine's Day", he beams, holding out the cup to Jensen. He's drawn a big loopy heart all over it, and scrawled "J+J" inside.

"Aww, thank you", Jensen laughs, kissing him quickly before he takes his drink.

"God, I hate Valentine's Day", Chad groans, rubbing a hand over his face. "I got six boxes of chocolates here, and two more cards that came without candy, and my shift doesn't end until six."

Jensen raises a brow. "And how is that a bad thing?"

Jared laughs, as if he knows something Jensen doesn't, and Chad pulls a face.

"They are all from guys", he growls. Jared laughs even harder, and Jensen hides a grin behind his matcha latte.

"What do you expect?" Jared says, "you _do_ work in Davie Village."

"I know", Chad sighs. "And man, I like working here, okay? The customers are nice, and they even tip, and I don't have to put up with stupid machos who pick a fight with the barista just to impress their skanky girlfriends. But dude, I hate having to tell them that I'm just not interested." He bends over the counter and lowers his voice. "There's this drag queen, who's working at the bar next door? I think he – she – is really into me, and don't get me wrong, I like her, but she just doesn't take no for an answer."

Jared grins. "Maybe you should give it a try. You might be surprised."

Chad shakes his head sadly. "I don't think so. Dicks don't really do it for me. And I did try it, remember? You were there."

Jensen chokes on his matcha latte, and Jared blushes.

"Uh, awkward", Chad says, and Jared blushes even more.

"It was just the one time", he says hastily, "and we were really, really drunk."

"I know", Jensen says, and it's true – he does. Jared already told him about that night, and hey, it's not as if Jensen was a virgin when they met; he's not going to blame Jared for falling into bed with his best friend after a campus party during freshman year.

"Are you finished for today?" he asks, changing the topic to save Jared from his embarrassment.

"Yes!", Jared beams, his awkwardness already forgotten. "My last appointment got canceled – the girl kicked her boyfriend out to the curb last week, and now he thinks that she doesn't really deserve to get chocolates anymore. So I thought we could pick up the kids at our house and go to the beach, what do you think?"

"I think", Jensen smiles, "that's an absolutely brilliant idea."

***

The good thing about having a boyfriend who's in academics and lives with four people who have similarly irregular schedules, is that there's almost always someone at the house who's willing to watch the kids. Which means that Jensen can save a lot of money he would have to spend on the day mother otherwise; money they can really, really use. And he is more than grateful for the help, even if it took him a while to get used to the idea:

"You left them with Mike?" he had asked, actually horrified, the first time it happened.

"Well, yeah", Jared had said, frowning. "Why are you so upset?"

"Because he's going to get them killed!" Jensen had yelled. "He's going to give them beer to drink and pot to smoke, and he's probably watching gay porn with them right now, and ..."

"Shut up!", Jared had growled, and Jensen had been so shocked to see his happy-go-lucky boyfriend angry that he actually complied. "He won't get them killed, okay? He's – Mike is good with kids, okay? Do you really think I'd leave them with somebody who wasn't? I love your kids. Mike loves your kids. We wouldn't let anything happen to them! If you don't want them to stay at our house, that's fine. But don't talk about my friends like that."

Of course, Jared was right. Mike is good with kids, they all are, and soon Jensen found out that the worst thing that could happen was that Kim had a tummy ache after eating too much of Chad's pancakes, or that Carla cried bitter tears over the tragic fate of the First Nations after she spent an afternoon with Tom at the museum.

When he realized the error of his ways, Jensen was fully prepared to get on his knees and beg for forgiveness, but Jared just smiled and kissed his nose. "It's fine, Jensen", he said. "You want your children to be save. That's a good thing. Mike would understand that, too."

Just to be sure, Jensen was extra nice to Mike for the next few days anyway, until Mike told him to cut it out, unless he wanted Tom and Jared to get jealous. "And besides", he had added, "you're really starting to freak me out."

***

When they get to Jared's place in Kitsilano, Mike and Tom are curled up together on the worn down couch in the living room, supervising the children who apparently have broken out Sandy's costume chest and are playing Superman again. Or, at least Carla is playing Superman, Kim is …

"Uhm", Jensen says, tilting his head, "which superhero are you supposed to be?"

"Daddy", Carla groans, in her best Adults are stupid-voice. "He's not a superhero. He's Cinderella."

"Oh", Jensen says. At least that explains why Kim is wearing what looks like a table cloth on his head and Sandy's sparkly slippers on his feet, which look like they are about ten sizes too big. One of them drops to the floor when Jared picks the boy up and twirls him around, making him squeal in delight.

"Oh, Cinderella, you lost your glass slipper", Jared exclaims, tickling Kim until the little boy is laughing tears, and Carla puts her hands on her hips and looks up at them indulgently. "Duh. Cinderella is _supposed_ to lose her shoe, you know."

"Uhm", Jensen says, sinking down next to Tom on the couch. "Are you sure it's not supposed to be, you know, the other way round?"

Mike leans over Tom to slap him slightly on the shoulder. "Dude", he says, "don't be so conventional."

Tom simply smiles, which means he probably agrees, and Jensen has to admit that they are right. He shouldn't be so surprised that the guys don't seem to be troubled in the least by his children's display of gender confusion; it's Mike, after all, who actually called in "gay" and stayed at home for three days after one of the assistants at the lab had walked in on him and Tom kissing and had called them "sick".

"_I_ wanted to be Sleeping Beauty for Halloween when I was about Kim's age", Jared says, flopping down on the floor at Jensen's feet. "My mother made me dress up as a cowboy instead."

"Which was probably smart of her", Tom says. "Considering that you grew up in San Antonio."

"I still hated it", Jared pouts. "Children should be allowed to make their own decision about what they want to be for Halloween. It's important for their personal development."

"I want to be Remy for Halloween" Carla announces, jumping up and down, makeshift cape fluttering behind her.

"Who?" Jensen asks, frowning.

"_Remy!_ You know, the rat, from the movie."

Jensen sighs. "I didn't think I'd ever say that, Jared, but you let them watch too much Disney movies. Next thing we know, they are going to believe that animals can talk."

"Well", Jared grins. "I think they _are_ trying to teach Mr. T to say his name."

Tom chuckles, and Mike looks far too intrigued for Jensen's taste. "Hm", he says thoughtfully. "I don't think turtles have the necessary vocal chords."

"That's what I told them", Jared nods seriously. "Which is why they are trying sign language now."

***

At this time of the year, Kitsilano Beach is not exactly crowded – even on a Saturday. They tend to avoid Wreck Beach and Trail 7 anyway, because even if the kids had walked in on him and Jeff once, and have seen him make out with Jared, too, Jensen really doesn't want them to get a glimpse of a couple of horny guys fucking in the dunes – and since Jared wants to take the dogs, they go to Hadden Park, behind the Maritime Museum, where he can let them off the leash.

They all have changed clothes – superhero cape, ball gown and tuxedo left behind –, and Jensen is glad that he remembered to take his scarf, because the worst of winter might be over, but it's still not spring yet. He slowly strolls along the beach, enjoying the wind against his face, keeping one eye on Kim who's on all fours and seems completely absorbed in an empty sea shell, the other on Jared and Carla who are fooling around with the dogs.

Carla throws a stick that almost hits Harley in the head, her shocked expression turning into one of delight when the dog still manages to catch it out of the air; and Jensen exchanges a soft, amused smile with Jared over her head. When he turns back towards Kim, making sure that he's not trying to eat algae again, it suddenly hits him just how _normal_ this feels, how _familiar_, as if they are just an ordinary family with two kids and two dogs, taking a walk on the beach.

Only it's not Jeff who's here with him – not his successful and confident husband, who, just after his 42nd birthday, got suddenly shaken up by a midlife crisis that made him quit his job, leave his family and drop off the face of the world; it's Jared, a postgraduate at UBC who's writing his thesis about "Gay cinema in North America and Europe 1970-2010", who lives in a large old house with four friends, two dogs and a clan of partly domesticated mice, and who's just as broke as he is; Jared, who walked into his life on a miserable Christmas Day in a Santa Claus costume and swept him off his feet.

It's almost a shock when Jensen realizes that he doesn't feel one trace of regret, that he feels happy for the first time in a while, and he is still trying to decide if he wants to freak out about it, or cry tears of joy, when his cell phone rings.

"Hey, sweetheart, Happy Valentine's Day", Chris purrs.

"Haha", Jensen says dryly. "You too, asshole. What's up?"

"Nothing, dude", Chris says. "Steve and me are just hanging out, doing our usual anti-Valentine's thing ... you know, Mexican take-out, beer, and _Sin City_ on Blu-ray ... and I just wanted to check in on you lovebirds. Make sure you haven't died from an overdose of romance yet."

"Shut up", Jensen says without any real heat. He probably deserves that for talking about Jared non-stop whenever he's got one of his friends on the phone. "It's not like that."

"You are not doing anything nice?" Chris asks, and the mocking tone in his voice gives room to real surprise.

"Not really", Jensen says, and thinks that it's not exactly true – in Jensen's opinion, a night on the couch with home-made pizza and Disney's _Hercules_, followed by a round of mind-blowing sex in the bedroom when the children are finally sleeping totally counts as "something nice", but he knows that it's not what Chris means.

"Why not?" Chris asks, sounding almost upset, and Jensen thinks it's funny that someone who goes to such lengths to spend the 14th of February in a way as unromantic as possible, is so adamant that Jensen should do the opposite.

"First of all", he says, "we don't have the money to do something anyway. Second, we just picked up the children, I don't want to leave them with a baby sitter tonight. Besides", he adds, "we've known each other for fifty – fifty-two days, Chris. It's not as if it's really that serious yet." He is not sure who he's trying to convince.

"Oh, really?" Chris asks, and the teasing undertone is back. "So this is why you ordered the collected works of Pedro Almodovar last week just so you can pretend to be interested in his thesis? Because it's not serious?"

Jensen sighs. "Cut it out, Chris, or I'm going to tell Steve about those rings you are hiding in your drawer."

"You wouldn't do that", Chris says, sounding honestly shocked.

"No", Jensen admits. "I wouldn't."

"You better not", Chris says darkly. "But, seriously. You like him, don't you?"

Jensen looks up. A few feet away, Jared has started building a sandcastle, and the kids are scampering around, collecting sea shells to decorate the walls.

"Yes", he says slowly. "I guess I do."

"Great", Chris says. "And he likes you too?"

"I think so", Jensen replies hesitantly.

"Perfect!" Chris says, sounding completely satisfied. "So what are you worrying about?"

Before Jensen can think of an answer, he hears Steve talking in the background, and Chris says: "Listen, I have to go. Go home, tuck the kids in and have hot Valentine's Day sex on the couch. And I want to hear all about that later, alright?"

The call disconnects rather abruptly, but Jensen is used to that by now. No doubt Chris or Steve will call him again as soon as their own bout of Valentine's Day sex is over. He snorts, pockets his phone, and when he raises his head again, Jared is waving at him, wide smile on his face.

"Come here", he shouts. "We need you to help us with the tower!"

Jensen laughs and obeys, letting Jared pull him down into the sand next to him.

"Here", Jared says, smiling even wider, "you can make the battlement."

Jensen takes the stick that Jared hands him, but he doesn't set to work. Instead, he looks at the almost finished sandcastle, at his children, covered in wet sand, hair tousled by the wind, at the dogs, chasing each other across the beach, and at Jared, disheveled and enthusiastic, and glowing with happiness.

"What?" Jared laughs, blushing slightly under Jensen's scrutiny. "Do I have something ..."

Jensen shakes his head. "No", he smiles. "Just ... you know, I kinda like Valentine's Day."

Jared raises a brow. "But we didn't even celebrate it."

Jensen leans over and kisses him quickly on the lips. "Yes", he says. "We totally did."


End file.
